Pneumatic tube



fro Model.) l 2 Sheets-Sheet I W. G. COLLINS.

PNEUMATIG TUBE.

No. 555,078. P55555@ 25, 1895,

ANDREW B-EBNPY Pim-UHUWASHINGTUR D C.

(No Model.) 2 sheetssheet 2.

W. G. COLLINS.

PNBUMATIG TUBE.

No. 555,078. Patented Feb. 25,1896.

il i? @Slime/ide (2.4? M S14/vento?,

llNiTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE..

IYILLIAM GIIY COLLINS, OF NEWT YORK, N; Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN-MENTS, TO TIIE COLLINS AUTOMATIC PNEUMATIC SIVITOIIING TUBES COMPANY, OFNEW' JERSEY.

PN EUNIATI'C TUBE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 555,078, datedFebruary 25, 1896.

Application filed January 15,1892. Serial No. 418,195. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GUY COLLINS, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of New York, in the county and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Tubes,(Oase 13,) of which the following' is a full,` clear, and exactspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart 1o hereof.

)Iy invention relates to pneumatic tubes for carrying or sending objectsby pneumatic pressure or suction, and has for its object to providebetter and more efficient means for such transmission and for switchingcarriers into their appropriate branch tubes.

It consists in an improved apparatus for that purpose, the several partsof the invention being set forth in detail in the claims at 2o the endof this specication. ln order that they may be fully understood I haverepresented inthe accompanying drawings and will now describe the formof apparatus which I prefer to use for the purpose and the mode ofoperation by its use.

Figures 1 and 2 represent side views of my improved device, partly insection. Figs. and 4 are respectively side and end views of my improvedcarrier and cover. Figs. and

3o o' are respectively side and end views of my improved eXpansionjoint.Figs. '7 and S are cross-sections of the sender.

of a modification of such sender. Fig. 11 is a side view of the switch,and Fig. 12 shows a modification of the communicating rods and theirconnections.

In the appara-tus shown in the drawings, A is a main tube, and Il is abranch tube through which carriers are forced by air-pressure or suctionby any suitable means. At each angle formed by a branch tube with themain tube is pivoted a switch G. The switch preferably employed consistsof a plate having in it an opening, (shown on Fig. 11,) a pivot F,

and an extension-arm E. The switch is preferably made so that whenclosed, as shown in full lines, Fig. 1, its outer surface forms acontinuation of the wall of the main tube. 5o The other side ispreferably somewhat in- Figs. 9 and 1Qk are respectively vertical andcross sections clined. A small recess is made in the opposite wall ofthe tube, and in this the end of the switch lies when the switch isopen, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. l.

The opening in the switch allows the for- 5 5 ward and rear projectingedges of the carrier room within which to turn in rounding into thebranch tube H, and also permits the free flow of air at all times downboth the main and branch tubes. To the end of the exten- 6o sion-arm Eis fastened the armature el, working in the electromagnet or solenoid D,by means of which the switch Gis opened or moved into the position shownon Fig. 2 and closed or moved into the position shown in full lines inFig. 1.

S is the sender. It consists of a cylinder mounted on horizontalbearings and capable of being revolved by the handle s, This cylinderhas an opening, as shown in Figs. 7 and 7o S, wide and long enough topermit the entrance of the carrier. The carrier is placed in s of thesender when the latter is in the position shown in Fig. 7, with theopening upward. The handle s is then turned and s' 7 5 inverted, whenthe carrier drops out into the main tube, as shown in Fig. S, and isthen forced by pneumatic pressure to its destination.

M y improved sender affords ready and efcient means for introducingcarriers into the main tube without leakage of air therefrom.

My improved receiver R is of the same construction, the revolvingcylinder beingin this case of course placed below the end of the main orbranch tube where the carrier is deposited. It is shown as connectedwith the branch tube, and a pipe U, having a cock, and a device U',adapted to be actuated by the carrier to control said cock, are alsoprefer- 9o ably employed to direct an extra supply of compressed airinto the receiver, and thus voffer a cushion to the impact of thecarrier at that point, this, however, forming no essential part of myinvention.

The carrier consists of a cylindrical box B,

(shown in Fig. 3,) having around it metal bands b b. Each carrier isprovided with such bands but the distance between the bands on anycarrier intended for a branch tube diifers roo from the distance betweenthe bands on the carriers not intended to switch oif into thatparticular branch tube.

In my improved apparatus the switch of anybranch tube is automaticallyopened and closed by those carriers intended to, pass through thatparticular branch tube, but by no other carriers. This is accomplishedby an electromagnet D having an armature (Z fastened to theextension-arm E near its end. Then a current is passed through D thearmature d is drawn up and the switch is opened, as shown in Fig. 2.Then the current ceases the spring S pulls the switch back into itsnormal closed position.

The circuit is automatically closed and opened by the following devices:m m are two short rods pivoted to the cross-barn at its opposite endsand working in slots cut in the cross-bar yy y. These rods m m projectinto the main tube A far enough to be struck by the bands of a passingcarrier, but not far enough to reach the main body of the carrieritself. The cross-barnis fastened at its center to the upright metallicarm p, which is shaped at its upper end like the head of an arrow. Thena carrier passes, the distance between whose bands is the same as thedistance between the points of the two rods m m, these rods are bothforced up bythe bands at the same time and the arrow-head of the arm pstrikes against and forces apart the metallic spring-jaws c C, which arepivoted at their upper ends. The spring-jaws at once catch and hold thehead of the arm p until it is released, as hereinafter described. Assoon as y) touches the spring-jaws c c, the circuit through theelectromagnetD is closed and remains so until p is released in thefollowing manner: 13 is a rod working in a cylinder and has a roundenlarged surface at its end. This rounded end projects slightly into thebranch tube H, as shown in Fig. 2. The other end of the arm 13 ispivoted to the bellcrank 12, the latter to the arm 11, this to thebell-crank 10, and the latter to the rod 1-1. The rod 141 is pivoted tothe lever 15, which latter is pivoted at its other end to a fixed pinand carries at its said end an elliptical button 1G. rounded end of thearm 13, it pushes that arm in, and thus through the bell-cranks and arms12, 11, 10, and rod 11 pushes out the lever-arm 15,and by turning to theproper extent the button 16 forces the spring-jaws c c apart andreleases the head of @when it and the rods my m drop to their normalposition. The circuit is thus opened and the spring S pulls back theswitch into its normal closed position. lf desired, the spring-catch 9can also be used in connection with or as a substitute for the catcheson the end of p and c c for the purpose of holding the switch open. Astud on the extension-arm E engages with the spring-catch 9 as theswitch is opened, and the spring-catch then holds the extensionarm E upuntil the carriers strike 13, when,

Then the carrier strikes the as is evident from an inspection of thedrawings, the spring-catch 8 is unlocked from the stud. The rod 14: andits connecting bellcranks and arms are held in their normal position bymeans of the spring 1S.

Then a carrier passes whose two bands are either closer together orfarther apart than are the two rods m m, these rods m m will be struckby the bands successively and not both at the saine time. The rod p willthus only be very slightly raised, not enough to engage with thespring-jaws c c, and the switch will remain closed. Only those carriers,therefore, will operate the switch the distance between whose bandsequals that between the carrier-actuated rods m m. But one branch tubeis shown in the drawings, but of course as many can be used as aredesired, the switching apparatus being in every case the same as thatalready described, with the eX- ception that the distance between thepoints of the carrier-actuated rods 'm 'nt will vary with each switch.

To avoid the danger of blocking the apparatus should a carrier intendedfor the main tube or a switch farther on follow too closely upon acarrier intended for a nearer switch, I have devised the followingapparatus: K K are two levers pivoted at one end in a recess in the wallof the main tube. These levers in their normal position lie in theserecesses out of the way of carriers in the main tube. At the other endof each lever is pivoted a piston-rod j, working in the cylinder J. Thecock T on the pipe 1 controls the admission of air from the main pipe Ainto the cylinders J. Then T is opened air rushes from A through pipe 1into the cylinders J, forces out the piston-rods j j, and pushes thelevers K K into the position shown in Fig. 2, where they would arrest orretard the progress of any succeeding carriers until the switch and thecock T have been again closed, when the succeeding carrier or theair-pressure in A, or both, would push in the levers K K and thepiston-rods ,7' j and clear the tube A for the passage of the succeedingcarrier. The cock T is opened and closed in the following inanner:Connected with the cock T is the arm 2, pivoted at its other end to thetogglejoint 3, which latter is also pivoted to the rod 4.. The rod etworks in a cylinder, as shown in Fig. 1, and has an enlarged roundedend. This rounded end of the rod 4: projects slightly into the tube Awhen the toggle-joint is in the dotted position shown in Fig. 1, but atother times is withdrawn from the tube. The rod 5 is fastened at one endto the middle of the toggle-joint 3 and at the other end is pivoted tothe bell-crank U. The other end of the bell-crank 6 works in a slot inthe arm 7, which latter is fastened at its other end to theextension-arm E. 'hen the switch is closed, these various arms,bell-crank and toggle-joint are in the position shown in full lines inFig. 1. Then the switch is open and as long as it remains open, theyassume and re- IOO IIO

main in the position shown in dotted lines in the same figure and shownby full lines in Fig. 2. ln this latter vposition the rounded end of therod 4 projects into the tube A. If a carrier passes at this juncture itpushes up the arm 4 and the toggle-joint 3 and opens the valve T, andthe levers K K are thereupon at once forced out and the carrier isdetained. Then the switch is closed by the preceding carrier as itpasses into the branch tube II, the toggle-joint is pulled back and thecock T is closed, when the levers K K are at once forced back into theirrecesses and the carrier passes on down the main tube.

To assist a carrier or the airpressure in A to close the levers K Kafter the switch G has been closed, an opening into the atmosphere ismade in the head of each of the cylinders J J, closed by a sliding valveoperated by a lever 17, secured at one end to the rod 5 and at the otherend to the valve. lVhen the switch G is open the lever 17 closes thevalve. vWhen the switch is closed it opens the valve and allows the airin the cylinder to pass into the atmosphere as the levers K K areclosed. Only one lever 17 is shown, it being understood that anotherlever precisely like it connects with the valve on the other cylinder.

My improved cover for carriers is shown on Figs. 3 and 4, Fig. 3 being asectional side view on the lines 3 3 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 4being across-section on the lines 4 4 of Fig. 3. Four bolts Z working in theslots l are each iieXibly connected by a link to an arm of the piece L.The latter is turned by the key Z2. As is evident from an inspection ofthe drawings, a turn of the key Z? in one direction will force the boltsinto the groove shown in Fig. El and fasten the cover on tightly, whilea turn of the key in the other direction will withdraw the bolts andunloosen the cover.

A modied form of my improved sender and receiver is shown in Figs. 9 and10, Fig. i) representing a side view partly in section, and Fig. 10 across-section on the lines 10 10, Fig. E). This sender is designed to beused in vertical pneumatic tubes. It consists of a cylinder considerablylarger than t-he tube A with a solid top and bottom plate, except thatthrough the cylinder and the top and bottom plates are cut two or morecylindrical holes of a diameter corresponding to that of the main tubeA. The drawings show two such holes s and A carrier is placed in S', andthe handle s is turned until s' is in line with the tube A, when thecarrier is forced onward through the tube A to its destination. Thesender is simple and efficient and prevents leakage of air.

A modification of the carrier-actuated rods and spring-catches is shownin Fig. 12. The upper catch c is preferably made stationary, while thelower catch c oscillates. Itis thus evident that if one of the levers calone is actuated by the carrier the head of the lever c will not forcethe spring-catches apart so as to be held by them; but if both levers care actuated at the same time the catches will be opened and will holdthe arms e.

Certain parts of my apparatus which are shown and described in thedrawings and specification, but not claimed in the present application,are claimed in a certain other application made by me and iiledsimultaneously herewith under Serial No. 418,194.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a pneumatic-tube system, the combination with a switch controllingthe junction between two tubes, of an electric circuit including amagnet and an armature for directly operating said switch, acircuit-maker in said circuit and rods projecting into the tube adaptedwhen simultaneously struck by the bands of a carrier to operate saidcircuitmaker to close said circuit, substantially as set forth.

2. In a pneumatic-tube system, the combination with a switch controllingthe junction between two tubes, of an electric circuit including amagnet and an armature for directly operating said switch, rodsprojecting into the tube automatically actuated by the carrier to closesaid circuit, and spring-catches to keep said circuit closed,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a main tube, a branch tube, and a switchcontrolling the j unction between two tubes, of an electric circuitincluding a magnet and an armature for directly operating said switch',rods projecting into the tube automatically actuated by the carrier toclose said circuit, spring-catches to keep said circuit closed, a rodprojecting into the branch tube, and connecting arms and levers adaptedto release said catches and open the circuit when said rod is struck bythe carrier, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a main tube, a branch tube, a switch forcontrolling the j unction between said tubes, and an electric circuitincluding an electromagnet and an armature for directly operating saidswitch, of the carrier-actuated rods fm, m, cross-bar n connected to theupper ends of said rods, vertical arm p carried by said cross bar, andspring-jaws c c adapted to engage with the said vertical arm when saidcarrier-actuated rods are raised, and thus close said circuit,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a main tube, a branch tube, a switch forcontrolling the j unce tion between said tubes, and an electric circuitincluding an electromagnet and an armature for directly operating saidswitch, of the carrier-actuated rods m m, cross-bar n connected to theupper ends of said rods, vertical arm p carried by said cross-bar,springjaws c c adapted to engage with said vertical arm when saidcarrier-actuated rods are raised to thus close said circuit, leverhaving circuit-opening button 16, rod 14 connected to IOO IIO

said lever, carrier actuated rod 13 in said branch tube, and leverconnections l2, ll, l0, between said rods 13 and lat, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

6. In a pneumatic-tube system, the combination with a main tube, abranch tube, and a switch controlling the junction between said tubes,of carrier-actuated rods or points projecting' into said main tube,devices connecting said carrier-actuated rods with said switch wherebythe movement of said rods will actuate sa-id switch, and a carrierhaving bands or projections so spaced upon its body as to agree with thedistance apart of said rods from each other, so as to insure concurrentcontact between said bands or projections and the ends of said rods,substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with a pneumatic tube and a switch therein, of acarrier-actuated rod adapted to project into said tube, leverconnections between said rod and said switch, carrier-retarding leverspivoted in the wall of the tube and controlled by the movement of saidcarrier-actuated rod and system of levers,

the whole being arranged so that when the switch is opened saidcarrier-actuated rod will be projected into the tube, and in such mannerthat when said rod is struck by the carrier said carrier retardin glevers will be thrown out into the tube, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

S. In combination with a switch in a pneumatic tube, levers in the sideof the tube attached to piston-rods working in cylinders, a pipe forsupplying compressed air, gas or liquid to said cylinders, a cockregulating such supply, a rod for operating said cock and leverconnections with said switch to throw said rod into position in the tubeto operate said cock when the switch is opened and to withdraw it as theswitch is closed, substantially as shown and described.

9. The combination with a main tube, a branch tube and a switchcontrolling the j unction between them, of carrier-retarding levers K K,pivoted in and adapted to be thrown across said main tube, cylinders JJ, having pistons and piston-rods in connection with said levers,air-pipe l having cock T, carrieractuated rod 4, toggle-joint 3 andlever 2 connecting said rod to said cock, arm 7, connected to theswitch, and bell-crank 6 and rod 5 connecting said arm and saidtoggle-joint, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

l0. The combination with a pneumatic tube, of a receiver or sendercomposed of an outer casing smaller in cross-section at its lower partthan at its upper, its lower part being in line with and of the samesize as the tube, and a horizontal hollow cylinder mounted in bearingsin the upper part of said casing and capable of being rotated on itsaxis, a handle to rotate the same, and an opening in said cylinder topermit the entry or discharge Vof the carrier, substantially as shownand described.

ll. In combination with a switch in a pneumatic tube, levers in the sideof the tube attached to piston-rods working in cylinders, a pipe forsupplying compressed air, gas or liquid to said cylinders, a cockregulating such supply, a rod for operating said cock and leverconnections with said switch to throw said rod into position in the tubeto operate said cock when the switch is opened and to withdraw it as theswitch is closed, openings for the escape of air from said cylinders,valves controlling such openings, and lever connections between saidvalve and the switch whereby said valves are closed when the switch isopen and opened when the switch is closed, substantially as shown anddescribed.

l2. In a pneumatic-tube system, an electric circuit normally open, acircuit-maker therein, a carrier having two encircling bands of greaterdiameter than its body, in combination with a carrier-actuated deviceconsisting of two rods or points projecting into the tube, the distancebetween which rods or points corresponds with the distance between thebands of the carrier, so that said rods and bands may come in contactwithV each other to operate said circuit-maker and close said circuit, aswitch or gate in said tube controlled by an electromagnet or solenoidin said circuit, substantially as set forth.

13. In a pneumatic-tube system, an electric circuit normally open anelectromagnet therein, a switch at the junction of two tubes under thecontrol of said magnet a circuit-maker in said circuit, a carrier havingtwo encircling bands of greater diameter than its body, in combinationwith a carrier-actuated device consisting of two rods or pointsprojecting into the tube, the distance between which rods or pointscorresponds with the distance between the bands of the carrier, so thatsaid rods and bands may come in contact with each other to operate saidcircuit-maker and close said circuit, substantially as set forth.

W. GUY COLLINS.

Vitn esses SAMUEL S. HADDEN, HERBERT H. GIBBs.

IOO

